Electric-railway system.



E. J. PATELSKL ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. a, 1915. REhIEV/ED AUG. 23. I916.

Patented Jul 16, 1918'.

SHEETS-SHEET I.

lnrenfor WtZ nesses.

E. J. PATELS'KI.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 8. 1915. RENEWED AUG. 23. I916.

1 ,272, 84 4 Patented July 16, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 E. J. PATELSKI.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1915. RENEWED AUG. 23, 1916.

Patented July 16, 1918.v

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3;

Inventor.

f E K E :ZW

E. .I. PATELSKI.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 8, 1915. RENEWED AUG. 23.1916.

Patented J 1115 16, 1918.

4 $HEETS-SHEET 4 Wif 718E266. EM 6% %fim ERICH J. PATELSKI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 191 8.

Application filed. March 8, 1915, Serial No. 12,782. Renewed. August 23, 1916. Serial No. 116,559.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERIOH J. PATELSKI, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric-Railway Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric railway systems of that kind in which the current is. supplied to the cars or to the electric locomotives, over underground or covered conductors extending along the track from a power house or station for furnishing the current.

Broadly considered, the object of my invention is to provide a novel and satisfactory construction and arrangement for supplying the current without the necessity of employing either third rails or trolley wires, and for thus avoiding the dangers thereof, but without. interfering with the continuous supply of current to the cars.

A special object is to provide an improved electric railway system in which the current is supplied to the cars from current feeding contacts arranged at intervals, along the track, and by means of long shoes .or conductors which are carried on thecars and arranged in position toengage said contacts, the distance between the latter being such that the cars orcelectric locomotives are always intouch with at least one of said contacts, whereby the supply of current is continuous and unbroken, and the general operation is rendered more certain in a system of the kind which does not employ a continuous third rail or trolley wire or similar v conductor along the track.

Another object is to provide an improved construction and arrangement whereby the current feeding contacts along the track are normally disconnected from the. source of current and are only connected therewith while the trains or .cars are passing.

It is also-an object to provide certain details of construction and'novel combinations tending to increase the generalefficiency and serviceability of an electric railway system of this particular character. 1

In the accompanying drawings? Figure l is a longitudinal section of the trucks .of an electric locomotive, and of the track therefor, of an electric railway system enbedy'ing the pr c p of y in e t on Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the truck shown in Fig. 1. I

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the condition of the parts when the trucks travel around a curve in the track.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section of one of said trucks, and of the rails upon which the car wheels travel. v

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the trucks, showing the rear portion of the housing which receives the contacts along the track.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the track contacts, in operative and inoperative positions, in vertical section, and illustrating the manner in which the current feeding contacts of the track are taken into the trough-like housing on the cars to contact therein with the shoe or conductor by which the current is supplied to the motors.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail section of one .of the current feeding contacts.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on line 88 in Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to. Fig. 4, showing two parallel housings on the truck, requiring two rows of contacts along the track, and whereby the car wheels and rails are not included in the circuits.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the circuit arrangement of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the circuit arrangement of Fig. 4:, the wheels and rails forming part of the circuits in this case.

As. thus illustrated, and referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the trucks A are of any suitable character and have wheels B which travel on the rails C in the usual and well known manner. A housing D is hung on the underside of the trucks, being jointed at d to pass around the curves of the track. Said housing has a longitudinal slot 03 provided in the bottom thereof, and has its forward end provided with a flaring mouth d to receive the contacts along the track. The said contacts consist of posts E having their upperends formed with fiat heads 6, the underside of each head being provided at opposite sides thereof with insulated contacts 6 connected with one of the current mains by insulated wires .6 suitably secured thereto. These contacts, as shown, (see B i s), are formed by an elongated. r ng extending around the head E andsecured thereon in any suitable manner. Each post E is movable up and down in a box 6 being held in normal or depressed condition by a spring 6 suitably applied thereto, so that the head of the post is normally down and practically flush with-the track. The contacts, such as thoseof an ordinary knife switch, as, for example, the contacts 6 are secured to the said post E, and cooperating contacts e are mounted on the inside of said box. Inthis way, the switch is-well below'ground andprotected against tampering. When the post E moves upward the contacts e engage the contacts 0, thereby closing the circuit to supply current to the contacts 6 it bein understoodthat the latter are connected by the wires 6 with the contacts 6 on the post. When thepost rises, and because it slides up and down in a guide which is always closed at the top, no opening is formed into which sand and dirt or gravel or other things might fall and make trouble. As shown, the housing D is provided internally with insulated conductors (l which are connected in any suitable manner with the motors. -These shoes or conductors 6Z3 engage the contacts 6 when the latter are gathered into the housing by the flaring mouth (Z thereby closing the circuits. It will be seen, however, that the heads of the posts E'must first ride up the incline d at the forward end of the housing, in order to pull the posts upward and closethe switches below. Preferably,jthese inclines (Z and also theshort sections 6Z5,

are separated from the body portions of the shoes or flat conductors d whereby no electrical connection is made with the contacts 6 until after the switches in the boxes below are entirely closed. During this operation the springs c tend to hold the train down.

Thus, and with this construction, the conaction for some time, and the continuous rubbing keeps the contact strips in the housing clean. When the contacts and their posts E are discharged at the rear end of the housing D, the springs 6 return the said'posts to their normal position, thereby immediately opening the switches in the boxes. If desired, the rear end of said hous- 111g can be provided with a portion at, as

shown in Fig. 5, which will bear upon the upper ends or heads of the posts E to positively push the latter downward while they During the passage of are being discharged from the housing. As shown, however, the two ends of the housing can be alike, so that the train may travel in either direction. Furthermore, each end of the housing may have, in addition to the inclined portion d another portion (Z7 which is inclined in the opposite direction, and which serves as a shoe to depress the members E if any of the latter are improperly in elevated position before being reached that is to say, if they are accidentally .in elevated position before they enter the housing. In this way, the accidental or imstood that the contact strips (Z being in-' closed in a housing D which is jointed or reticulated between the sections thereof,

proper elevation of any of these members,

must necessarily have some provision to permit lateral flexing at these joints in the housing, which provision may be of any suitable characte As shown in Fig. 9 the construction is substantially the same as that previously described, except that two housings ;D are provided on the trucks, thereby requiring two rows 'of'the posts E, and thus eliminating the car wheels and rails from the circuits. With this arrangement the circuits are of the kind shown in Fig. 10, two current mains being employed instead of one.

With the construction'shown in Fig. 4, however, only one current'main is necessary, as

shown inFig. 11, which latter is a diagram of the circuits thereof.

With the foregoing construction continuous third rails or trolley wires are not necessary. Instead of these harmless contacts are disposed along the track and the dangers and objections of continuous conductors, especially current rails, are very largely eliminated. i

With further respect to the posts E, which are in the nature of upstanding members having heads, t will be seen that many advantages result from this construction, more especially from the arrangement whereby these'posts or upstanding members are normally in depressed position, which requires that they be lifted in order to produce'the desired result, such, for example, as the closure of the circuit'from the electric mains V to the motors to propelthe rolling stock. When thus held in normally depressed position, and when operated'by lifting of the the posts to move downward by gravity and.

close the switch. Thus,by raising the headed posts to. close the circuit, accidental or other improper closure of the circuit is not as liable to happen, and this method of operation is also intended to reduce the liability of breakage. Moreover, by the use of heavy springs for holding the said posts or upstanding members E in normally depressed position, the effect is to hold the train down, at least to some extent,- as distinguished from the lifting-or derailing tendency which would be liable to result from the pressing downward of the-posts by the passage of the train, especially when the latter is traveling at high speed. In other words, with the posts or upstanding members normally de pressed,,fa.ilure"of theposts to rise might resultin some breakage, but it would not be liable to exert a derailin'g effect'on the train; whereas, should it be attempted to hold the posts normally in elevated position, the refusal of one or more of the posts to be depressed at the proper time might lift' the train, causing derailment thereof, or at least would'have this tendency. Therefore, the construction shown and described has-been designed with a view to permitting high speed, and: is intended in some measure for' that purpose. Again, itfiwill be s'een' that malicious tampering withthe-mechanism is less liable to occur when the'headed posts are in normally depressed position, as it would be difli'cult' for 'a person to raise these posts against the tension of the heavy springs, although it might be comparatively easy for this to ofccur with a normally raised position, as inthe latter-case a'weight applied to the to'p of' the post would depress it 'andthe-reby improperly-closethe circuit. It will also be" seen that by arranging the contacts on the under side of the headof the post, the said contacts are thereby'somewhat protected against injury, and against the weather; it will also be observed that dust and sand'cannot settle upon the under side of these inv'erted contacts, but which would be possible "with the contacts arranged to face upward on top of the posts.

lVith my improved arrangement, the post heads are all normally down andgout of the 'way, and there is little liability of'hreakage, latter' would be 'liabl'el to occur with a number of upstanding posts arranged along the track, With the'posts normally depressed, so that the heads thereof are practically flush with the track, they are not liable to be struck by chains or rods or bars or other parts dangling from. the rolling stock. Vith the heads of the posts normally down and practically flush with the track, they can only be raised, practically speaking, by the specially formed cam track on the train, and hence the possibility of breakage is greatly reduced and the certaintyof operation is very largely increased.

l. do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and described.

What I claim as my invention is 1. An electric railway system comprising 7 a, housing carried-by the rolling stock and constructed of reticulated sections to permit lateral flexing thereof when the trucks travel around curves in the track, said housing being open along one side thereof, members disposed along the track to enter the front end of said housing and leave at the rear end thereof, a contact strip extending longitudinally within said housing, insulated contacts fixed on said members, the arrangement being suchthat the upper surface of said contact strip engages the under sides of said c'ontactsb'y upward'pressure, springs disposed in a plane below said strip to yield under said pressure, said members beingsuch a distance apart that said strip is always in engagement with at least one of said contacts, and means to connect said contacts with a source of current.

2. An electric railway system as specified in claim 1, said member being mounted to slide up and down, said housing having its intake end provided with an incline to lift said members, and said means including normally open switches that close when said members move upward.

3. An electric railway system as specified in claim 1, said means including normally open switches, and said housing and members having provisions to close said switches.

' 4:. An electric railway system as specified in claim 1, said membersbeing movable up and 'down to COIltIOlSiLld means, said hous ing having means to raise said members, and said housing having its lntake end provlded intake end provided with means to raise said members before the contacts reach said strip. 6. An electric railway system as specified in claim 1, said open-side of the housing being at the bottom thereof, said strip being divided and disposed at opposite sides of the slot thus formed in the housing, and said members having heads which overhang both sections of said strip.

7 An electric railway system as specified in claim 1, and boxes in which said members slide up and down vertically, each box containing one of said springs to normally hold the member down, said means including normally open switches inclosed in said boxes and operated by said members, and said housing having means to raise said members.

8. In an electric railway system, a series of contact-bearing members disposed along the track having exposed heads, guides in which said members slide up and down vertically, springs to normally hold said members in depressed position, means to supply current to said system, means on the trains to raise said members, thereby to receive the current'to propel the trains, and normally open current-supply switches arranged to close when said members are raised.

9. In an electric railway system, a series of contact-bearing members disposed along the track, means whereby said members are movable up and down, means to supply cur-v rent to the contacts when said members are raised, means on the trains to raise said members, thereby to receive the current to propel the trains,'and means on the trains to depress said members if any thereof are improperly in elevated position before being reached.

10. In an electric railway system, a series of contact-bearing members disposed along the track, guides in which said members slide up and down vertically, springs to normally hold said members in depressed position, means to supply current to said system, means on the trains to raisesaid members, thereby to receive the current to propel the trains, and normally open current-supply switches arranged to close when said members are raised, said members having exposed heads extending above ground,

and the trains having current-conducting metal strips which slide on the under sides of said heads. V Y

11. In an electric railway system, ajseries of contact-bearing members disposed along the track, means whereby said members are movable up and down, means to supply current to the contacts when said members are raised, means on the trains to raise said members, thereby to receive the current to propel the trains, and means on theitrains to depress said members if any thereof are improperly in elevated position before being reached, said membershaving exposed heads extending above ground, and the trains having current-conducting .metal strips which slide on the under sides of said heads.

12. In an electric railway system,'a series of contact-bearing members disposed along in action.

13. In an electric railway system, a series of contact-bearing members disposed along the track, means whereby said members are movable up and down, means to supply current to the contacts when said members are raised, means on the trains to raise said members, thereby to receive the current, and means on the trains to depress said members if any thereof improperly remain in elevated position after being released, said members having heads extending above ground, and the trains having means where by said heads are inclosed whilein action.

14. An electric railway system as specified in claim 1, said members being mounted to slide up and down, said housing having its intake end provided with an incline to lift said members, and said means including normally open switches that close when said members move upward, said housing having means to depress said members before they leave the rear end thereof.

15. In an electric railway system, a series of contact-bearing members disposed along the track having exposed heads, guides in which said members slide up and down vertically, springs to normally hold said members in depressed position, means to supply current to said'syst'em, means on the trains to raise said members, thereby to receive the current to propel the trains, and normally open current-supply switches arranged to close when said members are raised, the trains having means to depress said members before they are disengaged therefrom.

16. In a railway system, an upstanding member having'a head, a guide in which said member slides up and down, wherein said member is normally in depressed position, means on the rolling stock to engage the under side of said head and thereby lift said member, the top of said guide being closed to gravel and dirt in all positions of said member, and devices to produce the desired result by the lifting of said member. 1 17. In a railway system, a structure as specified in claim 16, said devices including a normally open electrical circuit-controlling switch. Y

, 18. In a railway system, a structure as specified in claim 16, said devices including a normally open electrical circuit-controlling switch, said head having a contact'in the circuit, and said circuit also including elements on the rolling stock.

19. In a railway system, a structure as specified in claim 16, said devices including an electrical circuit-controlling switch.

20, In a railway system, a structure as specified in claim 16, said post having the head thereof arranged in exposed position above round.

21. fn a railway system, a structure as specified in claim 16, and a spring for returning said member to normally depressed position.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 5th day of March, 1915.

ERIGH J. PATELSKI.

Witnesses RACHEL J RICHARDSON, Rosa E. SEHNEM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

